Folding door construction

ABSTRACT

The folding door construction disclosed herein comprises an upper pivot assembly and a lower pivot assembly for pivoting a panel of a multipanel door in a door opening. A guide assembly guides another of the panels along a track. The lower pivot assembly comprises a sleeve frictionally held in the panel and a pivot pin which is threaded on a nut journaled on the sleeve and slidable in an opening in the sleeve. Interengaging means are provided between the nut and the sleeve to hold the pivot pin in adjusted position.

United States Patent [72] Inventor John W. Matyas 1,879,421 9/1932 Nalle 16/19 11300 Scbaefer, Detroit, Mich. 48227 2,339,577 1/1944 Nalle 16/19 {21 Appl. No 879,257 2,499,277 2/1950 Nalle 16/42 UX [22] Filed Nov. 24, 1969 2,846,701 8/1958 Bedford.. 151/41 X [45] Patented July 13, 1971 3,054,447 9/ 1962 Brydolf 160/206 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 3,191,214 6/ 1965 Protzman 160/206 X 775,062, Nov. 12, 1968, now Patent No. 3,233,657 2/1966 Kirby 160/206 3,511,300. 3,391,723 7/1968 Kirby 160/206 3,410,330 11/ 1968 Matyas 160/206 3,438,416 4/1969 Thurston 151/41 X 541 FOLDING noon CONSTRUCTION Primary Examiner-Dennis T y 14 Chins, 4 Drawing p AnorneyBames, Klsselle, Rarsch and Choate [52] US. Cl 160/206,

16/ 130 1 1 15/26, ABSTRACT: The folding door construction disclosed herein E05d comprises an upper pivot assembly and a lower pivot assembly (50] 0f for pivoting a panel of a multipane] door in a door opening A 1 42 35/32 guide assembly guides another of the panels along a track. The 15 41 lower pivot assembly comprises a sleeve frictionally held in the panel and a pivot pin which is threaded on a nut joumaled [56] References CM on the sleeve and slidable in an opening in the sleeve. in-

UNlTED STATES PATENTS terengaging means are provided between the nut and the 1,406,423 2/1922 Smith 151/41 sleeve to hold the pivot pin in adjusted position.

J? A l C 26 g Z6 1% 7 41 f 1 k J7 J0 2-7 FOLDING DOOR CONSTRUCTION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 775,062 filed Nov. 12, I968, now- U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,300.

This invention relates to folding doors.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a folding door construction which utilizes a novel lower upper pivot assembly which is readily insertable with a minimum use of tools and labor; which lower pivot assembly can be readily manipulated with sample tools to adjust the door; which pivot assembly has long life and will effectively withstand the wear in operation of tee door; and which will remain in any adjusted positionv SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, the folding door construction comprises an upper pivot assembly and a lower pivot assembly for pivoting a panel of a multipanel door in a door opening. A guide assembly guides another of the panels along a track. The lower pivot assembly comprises a sleeve frictionally held in the panel and a pivot pin which is threaded on a nut joumaled on the sleeve and slidable in an opening in the sleeve. Interengaging means are provided between the nut and the sleeve to hold the pivot pin in adjusted position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary part sectional view of the door embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. I, the invention relates to a folding door that comprises a plurality of panels 11, 12 that are hinged to one another at 13 about vertical axes. The panel 11" is pivoted to the top and bottom sides of a door opening 14 while the panel 12 is guided in its folding and unfolding movement by a downwardly opening U-shaped track 15 into which a guide assembly 16 having a guide roller 17 thereon extends.

The upper end of the panel 11 is pivoted by.a pivot assembly 18 that extends into a vertical opening 19 in the panel. Pivot assembly 18 has a spring loaded plunger 20 therein that frictionally engages a recess in a.pivot fitment 21.

In accordance with the invention, a lower pivot assembly is frictionally held in a downwardly opening vertical opening 26in panel 11.

Referring to FIGS. 2--4, lower pivot assembly 25 comprises a sleeve 28 of organic plastic material such as nylon that is generally cylindrical and has a noncircular opening 29 therein comprising arcuate portions 30 having a common center and flats 31 interconnecting the arcuate portions 30. A pivot pin 32 having a complementary cross section including arcuate portions 33 and flats 34 is inserted in the opening 29, The lower end of the pin is formed with threads 35 at the arcuate potions 33 thereof.

A nut 36 isjoumaled on the lower end of the sleeve 28 by. an arrangement which includes a radially outwardly extending flange 37 on the lower end of the sleeve 28 against which nut 36 abuts. A metal cap 39 which has its top and bottom edges 40, 41 crimped over the flanges 37 and bottom of nuts 36to journal the nut 36 on the sleeve 28.

lnterengaging means are provided between the nut 36 and the sleeve 28 to prevent relative rotational movement except when desired and to releasably hold thenut 36 against rota-' tion with respect to the sleeve. This means comprises circumferentially spaced indentations 380 on the upper'flange 40 of.

the cap 39 which engage depressions 38b in the upper surface of the flange 37 of the sleeve, When the nut 36 and cap 39 are rotated, the indentations 38a are successively moved out of and into engagement with the indentations 38b thereby holding the nut 36 releasably in any adjusted position. The lower end of the cap 39 conforms to the noncircular periphery of the nut 36 so that the cap and nut rotate together.

The lower pivot assembly 25 is inserted in the opening 26 in the panel 11 by tapping the assembly upwardly with a hammer or the like. Vertical ribs 41 on the outer surface of the sleeve 28 facilitate the frictional engagement of the sleeve 29 with the sides of the opening.

The lower end of the pin 32 thereon is adapted to engage a bracket assembly 27. Bracket assembly 27 comprises a right angle member 42 which has a vertical leg fixed to the door jamb and a horizontal leg extending generally parallel to the floor. A movable U-shaped bracket 43 is adjustably mounted on the horizontal leg by screw 44 and nut 45, the screw 44 extending through an elongated slot in the horizontal leg of the angle member 42. The bracket 43 is providedwith an opening 46 in which a plastic fitment 47 extends; The fitment 47 is generally cylindrical and includes a horizontal-flange 48 that engages the top surface of the bracket 43. A transverse wall 49 extends across the bottom of the tubular fitment andthe pin 32 engages the upper surface thereof as shown in FIG. 2. The transverse wall 49 extends diametrically across the bottom of the fitment defining spaces 50 so that portions of the cylindrical wall adjacent these spaces are flexible. The outer surface of each of these flexible portions is formed with projections 51 so that the fitment can be snapped into the opening 46 flexing the flexible portions of the wall to trap the fitment between the flange 48 and the projections 51. The bottom of the fitment 47 is adapted to engage the floor so that the full load of the door is transferred through the pin and transverse wall 49 to the floor.

In order to adjust the door position vertically, the cap 39 is grasped by hand or by is wrench to rotate the nut and thereby translate the pivot pin 32 upwardly or downwardly. The upper end of the pivot pin 32 is unthreaded so that it is impossible to completely remove the pin from the door panel, thus insuring that at least some pivot support is provided for the door panel at all times and that the pivot support cannot be inadvertently lost.

The guide assembly 16 and upper pivot assembly 18 are substantially identical in construction except that the guide assembly has the roller 17 thereon, as more clearly shown in the aforementionedapplication Ser. No. 775,062.

I claim:

1. In a folding door, the combination comprising a track adapted to be mounted horizontally in a door opena plurality of door panels hinged about substantially vertical axes to one another,

an upper pivot assembly,

one of said door panels having an upwardly opening vertical opening into which said upper pivot assembly extends,

a guide assembly,

another of said door panels having an upwardly opening vertical opening therein ,into which said guide assembly extends,

and a lower pivot assembly comprising a sleeve of organic plastic material,

said one door panel having a downwardly opening vertical opening therein into which said sleeve frictionally extends,

a pivot pin,

said pivot pin having a noncircular section and a portion thereofthreaded, A

said sleeve having an opening therein having a complementary noncircular cross section,

a nut threaded on said pin,

a portion of the upper end of said pivot pin being.

unthreaded, means for journaling the nut on the lowerend of the sleeve,

interengaging means between said nut and said sleeve for releasably holding said nut against rotation with respect to said sleeve.

2. The combination set forth in claim I wherein said interengaging means comprise detent and recess means.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for journaling said nut on said sleeve comprises a radially outwardly extending flange on the lower end of said sleeve,

said not having a surface abutting said sleeve,

and means for nonrotatably interconnecting said cap and said nut.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said interengaging means comprises detent and recess means.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said detent and recess means extend between said sleeve and said cap.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said detent and recess means comprises detents are circumferentially spaced on said cap and said recesses are circumferentially spaced on said flange of said sleeve.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said cap and said nut have complementary noncircular configurations and thereby move together.

8. For use in a folding door and the like,

a lower pivot assembly comprising a sleeve of organic plastic material adapted to extend into a vertical opening in a door panel,

a pivot pin,

said pivot pin having a noncircular section and a portion thereof threaded,

said sleeve having an opening therein having a complementary noncircular cross section,

a nut threaded on said pin,

a portion of the upper end of said pivot pin being unthreaded,

means for journaling the nut on the lower end of the sleeve,

interengaging means between said nut and said sleeve for releasably holding said nut against rotation with respect to said sleeve.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said interengaging means comprise detent and recess means.

10. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for journaling said nut on said sleeve comprises a radially outwardly extending flange on the lower end of said sleeve,

said nut having a surface abutting said sleeve,

and means for nonrotatably interconnecting said cap and said nut.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said interengaging means comprises detent and recess means.

12. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said detent and recess means extend between said sleeve and said cap.

13. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said detent and recess means comprises detents are circumferentially spaced on said cap and said recesses are circumferentially spaced on said flange of said sleeve.

14. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said cap and said nut have complementary noncircular configurations and thereby move together. 

1. In a folding door, the combination comprising a track adapted to be mounted horizontally in a door opening, a plurality of door panels hinged about substantially vertical axes to one another, an upper pivot assembly, one of said door panels having an upwardly opening vertical opening into which said upper pivot assembly extends, a guide assembly, another of said door panels having an upwardly opening vertical opening therein into which said guide assembly extends, and a lower pivot assembly comprising a sleeve of organic plastic material, said one door panel having a downwardly opening vertical opening therein into which said sleeve frictionally extends, a pivot pin, said pivot pin having a noncircular section and a portion thereof threaded, said sleeve having an opening therein having a complementary noncircular cross section, a nut threaded on said pin, a portion of the upper end of said pivot pin being unthreaded, means for journaling the nut on the lower end of the sleeve, interengaging means between said nut and said sleeve for releasably holding said nut against rotation with respect to said sleeve.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said interengaging means comprise detent and recess means.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for journaling said nut on said sleeve comprises a radially outwardly extending flange on the lower end of said sleeve, said nut having a surface abutting said sleeve, and means for nonrotatably interconnecting said cap and said nut.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said interengaging means comprises detent and recess means.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said detent and recess means extend between said sleeve and said cap.
 6. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said detent and recess means comprises detents are circumferentially spaced on said cap and said recesses are circumferentially spaced on said flange of said sleeve.
 7. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said cap and said nut have complementary noncircular configurations and thereby move together.
 8. For use in a folding door and the like, a lower pivot assembly comprising a sleeve of organic plastic material adapted to extend into a vertical opening in a door panel, a pivot pin, said pivot pin having a noncircular section and a portion thereof threaded, said sleeve having an opening therein having a complementary noncircular cross section, a nut threaded on said pin, a portion of the upper end of said pivot pin being unthreaded, means for journaling the nut on the lower end of the sleeve, interengaging means between said nut and said sleeve for releasably holding said nut against rotation with respect to said sleeve.
 9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said interengaging means comprise detent and recess means.
 10. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for journaling said nut on said sleeve comprises a radially outwardly extending flange on the lower end of said sleeve, said nut having a surface abutting said sleeve, and means for nonrotatably interconnecting said cap and said nut.
 11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said interengaging means comprises detent and recess means.
 12. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said detent and recess means extend between said sleeve and said cap.
 13. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said detent and recess means comprises detents are circumferentially spaced on said cap and said recesses are circumferentially spaced on said flange of said sleeve.
 14. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said cap and said nut have complementary noncircular configurations and thereby move together. 